J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement (1884)

Hello and welcome to episode 75. This time, we discuss one of Conan Doyle’s most important and influential early stories, ‘J. Habakuk Jephson’s Statement’, which appeared in the Cornhill in January 1884.

You can read the story here.

The show notes will be available at https://bit.ly/DOD75sn (for all show notes, just replace ‘75’ with the episode number in question).

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Synopsis

There have been many theories forwarded regarding the fate of the brig Marie Celeste, found drifting derelict in December 1873. But one man, Dr. J. Habakuk Jephson, knows the truth because he is the only known surviving passenger. Following service with the Union forces in the American Civil War during which he was badly wounded, Jephson settled down to regular medical practice in Brooklyn. But years of overwork, weak lungs, and the lingering effects of his war wound leave his own doctor to suggest recuperation via a long sea voyage. Unfortunately, the chosen vessel is Marie Celeste, whose passenger list is expanded by the last minute addition of the apparently wealthy Septimius Goring, a man of mysterious and sinister aspect and antecedents. At first, all goes well, until the captain’s wife and child are tragically lost overboard mid-Atlantic, following which the ship appears to be cursed…   

Warning

The story contains racist language and depictions, which we discuss. If this is likely to offend, you may want to skip this episode.

Next time on Doings of Doyle…

We return to Sherlock Holmes with the stage play ‘The Crown Diamond’ and its short-story alter-ego ‘The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone’.

Acknowledgements

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Image credits: Thanks to Alexis Barquin at The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopaedia for permission to reproduce these images. Please support the encyclopaedia at www.arthur-conan-doyle.com.

Music credit: Sneaky Snitch Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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